Psittacine beak and feather disease, debilitating disease of birds cause by a circovirus that infects wild and domestic psittaciforms such as macaws, parrots, cockatoos, and parakeets; cockatoos are especially susceptible. The causative agent is one of the smallest known pathogenic viruses. The name of the disease arises from the beak malformations (rare) and feather abnormalities and loss noted as signs of infection. Suppression of the immune system also occurs and leads to infection by other pathogenic organisms, which contributes to the high mortality associated with this disease. Some birds that are infected at an early age may not show signs of the disease until later in life. Diagnosis is aided by use of virus-specific DNA probes, but there are no effective treatments. The disease is best avoided by acquiring birds from flocks known to be free of infection.

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any member of the group of more than 360 species of generally brightly coloured, noisy bird s, to which the general name parrot may be applied. All belong to just two families. In the family Psittacidae are parakeet s (including the budgerigars, rosellas, and conures), lovebird s, amazon s, macaw...

common name of about 18 species of large colourful parrots native to tropical North and South America. These brightly coloured long-tailed birds are some of the most spectacular parrots in the world. Macaws are classified in the genera Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta, Primolius, Orthopsittaca, and...

term applied to a large group of gaudy, raucous bird s of the family Psittacidae. Parrot also is used in reference to any member of a larger bird group, order Psittaciformes, which includes cockatoo s (family Cacatuidae) as well. Parrots have been kept as cage birds since ancient times, and they...